Namewise

Alison vs Lisa

Alison and Lisacompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • New Zealand · Girls

    In 1979, Alison was ranked #70 and Lisa #4 among girls in New Zealand.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls

    In 1996, Alison was ranked #97 and Lisa #85 among girls in New South Wales, Australia.

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls

    In 2025, Alison was ranked #213 and Lisa #443 among girls in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls

    In 2013, Alison was ranked #440 and Lisa #370 among girls in Northern Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2025, Alison was ranked #1719 and Lisa #661 among girls in England and Wales.

Alison and Lisa over time

Alison and Lisa appear together in 5 published lists, across 158 years of shared records. Lisa held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Alison in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Lisa reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Alison in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

How this pair is related

The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.

  • One moved ahead of the other

    In 1965, Lisa moved ahead of Alison in New Zealand · Girls — #48 and #66 the year before became #48 and #31.

  • Repeatedly exchanged positions

    Alison and Lisa changed places 4 times in Republic of Ireland · Girls between 1964 and 2025, ending at #213 and #443.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 38 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Girls, Alison and Lisa averaged 24.9 places apart, ending at #97 and #85.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Alison and Lisa were both ranked in England and Wales · Girls for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #1719 and #661.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Girls within 2 years — Alison #225 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

List by list

  • Republic of Ireland · Girls62 shared years, 1964–2025

    Alison held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Lisa in 36.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #33 in 1989, Lisa #3 in 1984.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #213, Lisa #443.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Girls38 shared years, 1959–1996

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 38.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #18 in 1979, Lisa #2 in 1968.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 1996: Alison #97, Lisa #85.

  • England and Wales · Girls30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #225 in 1996, Lisa #105 in 1996.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Alison #1719, Lisa #661.

  • New Zealand · Girls18 shared years, 1962–1979

    Alison held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Lisa in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #30 in 1966, Lisa #1 in 1968.

    The order changed in 1965: Lisa moved ahead. In 1964 they stood at #48 and #66; by 1965 that had become #48 and #31.

    Most recent shared year, 1979: Alison #70, Lisa #4.

  • Northern Ireland · Girls10 shared years, 1997–2013

    Alison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Lisa in 10.

    Highest recorded here: Alison #118 in 1998, Lisa #63 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2013: Alison #440, Lisa #370.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Alison

Pairs where Alison shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving Lisa

Pairs where Lisa shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New Zealand lists

Pairs measured inside New Zealand's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New Zealand overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 1970s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 1970 and 1979.

The 1970s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Alison, Lisa
FieldAlisonLisa
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagefemalefemale
MeaningNot yet recordedA short form of Elizabeth, often used independently — notably the name of the subject of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.
OriginNot yet recordedHebrew, short form of Elizabeth
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈliː.sə/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Girls #213 (2025)Norway · Girls #174 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10095/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Lisa has a recorded origin (Hebrew, short form of Elizabeth); Alison does not have one recorded yet.
  • Alison has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Lisa.
  • A meaning is recorded for Lisa; Alison doesn't have one written yet.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Alison

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #76 among girls in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1952–1996

    Highest recorded position: #18 among girls in New South Wales, Australia, in 1979 (recorded 1952–1996).

    New South Wales, Australia · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #1719 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls

Lisa

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #330 among girls in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Girls

  2. Highest recorded1962–1997

    Highest recorded position: #1 among girls in New Zealand, in 1968 (recorded 1962–1997).

    New Zealand · Girls

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #661 among girls in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Girls